Elevator.



C. A. BCKFOBD. ELEVATOR. APPLICAUGN mm oct. 1a. 1915.

1,271,534. Patented July 9,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET L WWW 1 C. A. BICKFURD.

ELEVATOE;

APPUCATEON Hm) oer. 1B. 2925.

Patented July 9, 1918. 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 cniiiinsa. nrcxi'onn, or CHICAGO, armors.

ELEVATOR.

Specification of Letters Ill'atnt.

Patented July 9, 1918.

Application filed flctober 18, 1918, Serial Ho. 126.229.

b all whom it eonofi:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. Brannon, a citizen of the United States, residingat Chicago, in the county of Cok'and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Elevators, of which the following is the specification. V

The object of my invention is to provide amechanism for use in either freight or passenger elevators which will reduce the starting torque on the power mechanism when applied in lifting or starting the elevator.

A further object of my invention is to provide a mechanism which will reduce the strain on all parts of the elevator and overcome the uneven g'erk in starting, so objectionabie to Passengers.

The special and novel phases of my invention herein disclosed will be better un dcrstood from the following detailed description which is to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a passenger elevator with my invention applied thereon.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the elevator shown a in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows in elevation a cylinder with its valves, pistons and springs.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, detailed, sectional view showing the upper valves of the piston and spring cylinder.

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a different arrangement of the piston and spring cylinder.

Fig. 6 is an elevation showing a modified form for positioning the cylinder.

In carrying out my invention, I first point out that the mechanism I have provided can be built on the car, freight or passenger, or the car can be built to the mechanism, thereby making it possible to install my mechanism on cars in buildings already completed and in use, as well as on cars in new buildings.

Perhaps the simplest application of my mechanism is to provide four cylinders 10, one for each corner of the elevator supported by the cross-bar 11 as shown at 12, the car being attached to and suspended cable 13 in the usual manner as shown" git 14. The cylinders 18 are constructed of sufiicient diameter to contain both the spring 15 and the piston 16 in combination or separate, as desired. The spring 15' need only be of sufficient size and strength to cooperate within the cylinder 19' with the piston 16 for supporting the load and securing the objects sought. This is also true of the piston 16 which may be of the usual form of piston supported by the piston rod 17. The cylinders are secured to the car or platform of the elevator by any suitable means or to the frame-work comprising the clevator car as shown at 18 in Fig. 1. The spring 15 is held between the top of the piston 16 and the cups or heads 19. When the power medium draws on the connecting cable and the car is operated, the spring 15 contracts, as do also the air cushions between the piston 16 and the head 19, acting as an elastic draw-bar on the load of the car or platform. When the car or platform of the elevator is stopped or brought to rest, the air below the piston 16 is expelled through the aperture 20. Both the upper caps 18 and the lower caps 21 may be equipped with valves for regulating the inlet and outlet of the air for the operation of the piston 16. Such valves are shown at 22 and 23 in Fig. 4.

The cylinders 10 may be fitted to use either the air cushions and piston alone or the spring alone, in which latter case, the function of the cylinder will be merely as a housing.

A plurality of cylinders may be used, either two as shown in Fig. 5 or four as shown in Fig. 2 or other arrangements as may be desired, the operative mechanism as shown in Fig. 3 being the same in any case, and the valve mechanism as shown in Fig. 4 being the same, or any suitable valve mechanism no matter what number of cylinders may be utilized.

By using the combination of spring and air cushion piston, the maximum of safety and efficiency is secured. If the spring be broken, the air cushion piston will operate to prevent falling which in any case, could not be for a greater distance than the length of the cylinder 10. If the valve or air cushion piston should become inoperative, the spring will operate to perform the functions of the mechanism.

The attachment to the cable 13 may also he made in a number of ways, either as shown in Fi 1, the preferred form or as in the modified form shown in Fig. 6, or any other similar manner.

While I have herein disclosed certain embodiments of the present invention, it is apparent and I am aware that changes in detail may be made without deviating from the spirit of my invention and I desire that the protection herein sought should include such changes and modification in detail as reasonably may be made Within the terms of the appended claim.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is An elevator comprising a plurality of air cylinders provided with inlet and outlet valves, a piston and piston rod Within each cylinder, a spring extending around and parallel with the piston rod in each cylinder operating independently of the piston, a plurality of cross-bars and means for attaching same to the upper ends of the piston rods, a cable and means for securing same to the cross-bars, substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name to this specification.

CHARLES A. BICKFORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

